When I was younger, I wasn’t very involved in the Jewish community, but as I got older, I became very interested in Judaism. I decided that becoming a bat mitzvah would be the perfect way to learn more about Hebrew and the history of our people.

I believe that everyone has a chance to shine and should be able to, and I see my bat mitzvah as one of those times. I really wanted to work hard and show that I could do it, even though I started learning Hebrew later than other b’nei mitzvah students. The bat mitzvah process has taught me many things. For example: you should always be prepared, it is fun to learn new things, and I like being able to understand what everyone is talking about. I know those things will help me shine during my bat mitzvah.

For my service hours I volunteered for the SPCA and Charlotte Family Housing. I played with children while their parents were in meetings. When I worked for the SPCA I got to make sure every dog shined and helped them find an owner. Overall, this entire bat mitzvah process has been a new experience that I will keep with me forever.

Megan Reif is the daughter of Susan and Michael Reif. She is the sister of Jennifer Reif. She is the granddaughter of Sara Leopold of Chicago IL. Send notes of mazal tov.